ferocity

noun

fe·​roc·​i·​ty fə-ˈrä-sə-tē How to pronounce ferocity (audio)
: the quality or state of being ferocious
the ferocity of the lion's attack

Examples of ferocity in a Sentence

the ferocity of the lion's attack We were stunned by the ferocity of the storm.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Amid the ferocity, the Grant Parkers always sounded whetted and clean, moving through the works’ shifting meters with fearsome precision. Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2025 One thing that set 28 Days Later apart from other movies in the undead genre was the speed and ferocity that propelled its villains, quite unlike the lumbering corpses in Night of the Living Dead. Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 20 June 2025 Boyle, 68, has a playful gregariousness that often masks the ferocity of his commitment and vision. Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2025 However, the level of the ferocity of the strikes has raised the alarming prospect of a wider conflict in a region that is a key exporter of crude oil. Gaurav Sharma, Forbes.com, 14 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for ferocity

Word History

First Known Use

1606, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ferocity was in 1606

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Cite this Entry

“Ferocity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ferocity. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.

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